The Tule River Native Plant Demonstration Garden Project planted seventy-eight native plants on November 9, 2019. The Project hosted a workday at which three gardens were planted.

The Burton School District Garden volunteers planted thirty-four plants in root baskets. All eight species were California Native Plants and were selected to flourish in our climate with minimal irrigation once established. The volunteers moved rocks into place, completed the cleaning of the garden site, built root baskets to protect each plant from gophers, and using the training provided by the project, carefully planted thirty-four native plants.

The Alta Peak Chapter of the California Native Plant Society volunteers added fourteen plants to the garden they had started on November 2, 2019. Alta Peak volunteers also removed seven trees that had died from various causes over the years prior to the groups adoption of the site.

Jesse Bejarano with the help of other group volunteers planted thirty plants in root baskets. His garden design includes sixty-one native plants and was designed as a scent garden.

Volunteers from the three groups plus the Tule River Parkway Association contributed 106 combined hours of labor. This was the biggest single day of planting yet at the project.

The project has garden sites ready to adopt and encourages local groups or families to participate. The project supports the gardens with all needed plants and equipment through a grant partnership with US Fish and Wildlife and the City of Porterville.

The next planting day is Saturday, November 30, from 9 am to noon.
Meet at the Jaye Street parking lot on the south bank of the Tule River at the Jaye Street Bridge.

Cathy Capone — 559-361-9164
tulerivergarden@gmail.com

[photo via Cathy Capone]